Embossing or graining machine



v H. P. e. STEEDMAN. EMBOSSING 0R GRAINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, I920.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1920. 1,358,891.

H. P. G. STEEDMAN. EMBOSSING 0R GRAINING MACHINE.

H. P. a. STEEDMAN.

. 1920. 1,358,891 Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

4 SHEET h l l m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY PERCY GORMANSTON STEEDMAN, OF IiONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VERIPLEX ART COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EMBOSSING OR GRAINING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Application filed February 5, 1920. Serial No. 356,492.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PERCY GOR- MANSTON STEEDMAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, in the county of London, Englandfliave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Embossing or Graining Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, selected by me for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for embossing or graining lithographic and other prints, leather, or other materials, and simultaneously mounting them upon a canvas or other backing. My improved machine is especially adapted for the purpose of producing reproductions of oil paintings, prepared substantially in accordance with the process described in my former Letters Patent of Great Britain, No. 15,108 of 1911, although it is not limited to such use, but may also be employed for mounting, embossing, or graining of any kind, or for any other purpose in which its use may be found desirable or advantageous. In the preparation of reproductions of oil paintings in accordance with my process, as gen rally practised, lithographic or other colored prints on paper or other suitable material are printed in colors to reproduce an oil painting, the prints are mounted upon canvas or other suitable backing and are then embossed by means of an embossing die provided with an uneven surface corresponding with the canvas grain, brush marks, and

varying levels of the painted surface of the original painting, which variations of surface are thus imparted to the prints, which are varnished either before or after embossing, with the result that the finished pictures are remarkably faithful reproductions of the original oil painting, and such prints find a ready sale.

Heretofore the means employed for mounting and embossing the prints has involved separate treatments of each print,

and a great deal of hand labor, which has of necessity added to the expense of such reproductions, and one of the objects of my invention 1s to enable the prints to be con tinuously passed through the machine in which they receive a coating of adhesive material, after which they are applied to a backing of canvas or other suitable material, and are simultaneously embossed, to impart the canvas grain, brush marks, and varying paint levels of the original painting to each print, thus simplifying the production of such finished prints, and eliminating hand labor and greatly increasing the output. A further advantage which is secured by the use of my improved machine is the accuracy and speed with which the material to be embossed is registered with respect to the embossing die, and a still further advantage is its adaptability to the mounting and embossing of sheets of varying dimensions.

In carrying out my invention I provide means for gripping the individual prints or sheets to be mounted and carrying them past an adhesive applying mechanism, and thence carrying them between a pair of embossing rollers, one or both of which is provided with an embossing die, and in registration with the die, the machine being provided with means also for feeding a strip of continuousbacking material, such as canvas, which is cut off in the required lengths, a length of the canvas being fed to the embossing rolls at the same time as, and in registration with, each of the coated prints, so that the prints are simultaneously mounted and embossed, the dampening of the prints by the adhesive material imparting the necessary moisture to the prints, and also to the backing, to facilitate the embossing of the prints, and at the same time their firm and lasting adhesion to the backing, so that there is no disposition on the part of the finished printsto curl or separate from the backing. I prefer to also provide the machine with means for feeding a strip of the backing material of greater width than is required for the prints and for severing the backing material longitudinally and continuously, and rewinding the strip or portion which is not required for immediate use,

' while the other severed strip is again severed In the accompanying drawings which represent one embodiment of my invention selected by me for purposes of illustration,

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the machine. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalview of the main portion of the machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged view showing the opposite side of the machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section of a portion of the embossing rolls and adjacent parts, showing the manner in which the prints or other sheets are simultaneously 'mounted and embossed.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the throw-out cam mechanism of the pasting roller.

In the machine herein illustrated, 1 represents a machine frame comprising suitable side plates connected by transverse bars 2, for supporting the moving parts, and within the said main frame are mounted the embossing rollers 3 and 4, preferably ar ranged one above the other, the shafts of said rollers being provided with suitable bearings, and the bearings of at least one of said rollers being mounted in the main frame, so as to be capable of vertical movement therein, in a well known way, to accommodate variations in the thickness of the material treated, and in the embossing dies. One of said rollers, as the roller 1, is preferably provided'at each end with a sprocket wheel 8 to engage an endless chain or carrier 5, provided with a plurality of cross bars 6 carrying pins or grips 7 (pins being shown), which serve in a well known way to grip the successive sheets to be mounted and embossed, and carry them through the machine. The sprocket chains 5 also engage sprocket wheels 9 on a shaft 10 mounted in the main frame. The sprocket chains may be provided with any desired number of crossbars 6 of which I have shown in the present instance three, and the roller 4: will be provided with one or more recesses 11' to ac commodate-the crossbars 6, which will be so spaced 0n the'chain as to fall into the recess or recesses 11 as the crossbars pass around the roller 4;. The roller 3 will also be provided with, suitable recesses or depressions to accommodate the pins 7 (or 'rips) on the cross bar 6, as will be readily understood. The main frame is preferably provided with afeed table 12 upon which the sheets may be fed by hand or otherwise, to such a position that they may be seized and carried for ward by the pins or grippers 7 on the crossbars 6 as they come into proper position to engage the prints, in a well known way, the prints being preferably fed face downward.

I provide suitable mechanism for applying an adhesive to the rear faces of the prints as they are carried around the roller 4, and in'the drawing I have shown such anapparatus, which comprises in this lIl stance a pastereceptacle 13, having therein a paste roller 14, and knife or scraper 15,

ported by this backing will be forced into contact with the paste roller 18, the other portions of, the roller passing the paste roller without touching it. As it may some times happen that the pins 7 may fail to properly engage a print, I also provide means for throwing the pasting'apparatus out of operation temporarily to prevent paste being applied to the portion of the roller 4 which is normally engaged by the prints, and in this instance I have shown for the purpose, a pair of lifting cams 19 for engaging lugs 95 on the supports 96 for the roller 18, and raising it out of operative relation with the roller 4, these cams being operated by any suitable means, as by lin s 20 connected with arms 21 on a rock shaft 22 operated by a hand lever 28 which may be secured in position in any desired way, as by segments 241 and pawl 25, or otherwise, so that the operator can instantly throw the pasting mechanism out of operation in case a print is missed or improperly carried forward by the sheet conveying chains and crossbars. The position of the pasting roller 18 with respect to the rollers may bedetermined, by the adjusted positions of the cams 19 or suitable studs may be provided for supporting the swinging bearings of the roller 18, which asshown, are at the lower ends of the arms 96, hung onthe shaft of the roller 17, to enable the paste rolls to swing toward and from the roller 1. The

various parts of the pasting mechanism may be driven by gearing or other suitable mechanism. In the present instance I have shown an idle gear 97 meshing with a gear on the shaft of the roller 4, and with gears on the shafts of rollers llsand 17 the roller 18 being driven from'the roller 17 by intermeshing gears, and the roller 16 in this instan e being provided with trunnions supported in vertically disposed slots so thatit rests in engagement with the rollers 14 and 17, which as shown, are of different diameters, thereby producing a distribution of the adhesive from the roller 14 tothe roller 17.

In some'instances it may be desirable to move the entire pasting apparatus away from the roller 1& 0 give accessto the embossing rollers in making ready, and I therefore prefer to mount the pasting apparatus on a horizontal sliding carriage, indicated at 98, so that it can be moved forwardly when desired, in which case the pasting roller 18 can be raised out of operative position by means of the links or swinging supports 96. For convenience, in moving the pasting apparatus a mechanism is preferably provided, comprising a rack 99 on the main f ame, and a pinion 100 on the carriage 98,.adapted to be rotated by a handle (not shown), or other suitable means.

l l here one embossing die is used, it will ordinarily be carried by the embossing roller 3. I prefer to form these embossing dies of a suitable plastic material which may be softened by heating or otherwise, and to which may be imparted while in softened condition, a perfect impression of the canvas grain, brush marks, varying print levels, of an oil painting, or other marks, designs, or configurations, which it is desired to impress upon the prints or sheets. These dies may be formed fiat and afterwardsoftened and ent into a curved form to fit the roller 3, or otherwise, and they may be formed of other material than a plastic if preferred. In some instances it may be found desirable to use two dies, a male and female die, in which case one die would be applied to the roller 3 and the other to the roller 4, in such position as to register therewith.

The machine is provided with means for supporting a supply roller 26 of canvas or other suitable backing material, which as here shown, is wound on a shaft 27 mounted in suitable hearings in a bracket carried by the frame of the machine, the canvas or other backing 28 passing around suitable tension rolls 2930, and thence to the feed rolls 31, 32 and 33. The feed rolls 31 and 33 are preferably mounted in the frame of the machine in fixed relation to each other, and the roller 32 is provided with trunnions engaging vertically disposed slots 34: in the machine frame which permit the roller 32 to be supported by the rollers 31 and 33, and the canvas or other backing is passed under the roller 31, over the roller 32, and between the rollers 32 and 33, from which point it is carried downwardly between cutting rollers 35 and 36, to a plurality of feeding rollers 37 and 33, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43, which, with suitable guides indicated at H, d5, 16, 17, for example, convey the transversely severed pieces of the backing material to the embossing rolls 3 and 4 in timed relation with the feed of the prints or sheets, as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out. The cutting rollers 35 and 36 are driven in timed relation with the embossing rollers 3 and l, as indicated in Fig. 2, for example, in which the roller l is shown provided with a gear wneel 18 connected by an idle gear 19 with intermeshing gears 50 and 51 on the shafts of the cutting rollers 35, 36. The cutting rollers are provided with suitable cutting mechanism, comprising for example, a cutter 52 carried by one of said rollers, anl engaging a recess or a corresponding cutter 53 on the other shaft, and said rollers are spaced a sufficient distance apart to per-,

mit the canvas or other backing material to be fed between them at a different speed from the actual travel of the cutting roller, so that the length of material cut off will depend upon the speed of the feed rolls, while, as the cutter rolls operate in timed relation with the embossing rollers, the edge of each section or piece of the backing material will have a definite relation to the embossing rollers, so that each severed piece will be fed and delivered to the embossing rollers in proper position to be received between them and registered with the pasted print or sheet, regardless of variations in length of the pieces of backing material. lvleans are also provided for varying the speed of the feed rolls so as to effect the required amount of feed of the backing material to move it a distance equal to the length of a single piece or section, between the cutting rollers during a single revolution of the cutting rollers, which corresponds to a single revolution of the embossing rollers, and to feed each severed section of the backing material the distance required to present it to the embossing rolls. It will be understood that as the embossing die ordinarily does not cover more than a segment of the roller'3 the driving speed of the feed rolls will be considerably slower than that of the embossing rollers, so that when the embossing rollers receive one of the severed pieces of the backing material, it will move it more rapidly than the movement of the feed rollers, and therefore the feed rollers nearest the embossing rollers, as the feed rollers 39, 40, 41, L2, and 43, which only act upon the severed portions of the backing material, and are only required to keep the small piece of material in motion, are so adjusted with respect to their opposing rollers as to exert a very slight friction on the backing fabric or canvas, thus permitting the embossing rolls to withdraw a severed section between the feed rolls without tearing it or unduly stretching it. The feed rolls may be driven in any suitable way at variable speeds. In the present instance I have shown the shaft of the feed roll 33 provided with a beveled pinion 5d engaged by a beveled pinion 55 on a vertical shaft 56, which is also provided with a beveled pinion 57 engaging a similar pinion 58 on the shaft of the roller 10, which is pro vided with a gear wheel 59, meshing with an idle gear 60, which in turn meshes with a gear 61 on the roller 38, and a gear 62 on pen that the prints being treated are of conthe roller 4-2, it being understood that the rollers 31 and 32 will be driven by friction as well as the rollers 37, 39, 4:1, and 43.

The shaft 56 is provided at its lower end with a beveled pinion 63 meshing with a beveled pinion 64: on a shaft 65 carrying a gear 66 engaging a movable transmission gear 67 mounted on a swinging frame 68 provided with slots 69 and securing bolts 70, the transmission gear 67 meshing with a detachable driving gear 71 on the shaft of the embossing roll 3. By removing the gear 71 and replacing it with a gear having a greater or less number of teeth, the feed rollers can be operated at the required speed proportioned to the length of the pieces of material which are to be delivered to the embossing rolls, and the transmission gear 67 can be set in any desired position to accommodate the variation in the sizes of the gear 71, as will be readily understood.

I prefer to space the side plates of the machine a distance apart, and to make the various rollers and other apparatus heretofore described of such length between said side plates, so as to accommodate a strip of canvas or other backing material of the greatest width desired for backing any prints which may be treated by the machine. I do not, however, desire to be limited to any particular width of the machine, but it may be made, for example, of such width as to accommodate the ordinary width of a piece of canvas of standard width, as

now on the market, or the width of the machine may be made such as to adapt it particularly to certain classes of work. Where a machine is intended to be used for prints of different sizes both as to length and width, it will of necessity frequently hapsiderable less width than the machine, in such case a roll of the backing material or canvas of the required width can be specially prepared and placed in the machine in proper position to be applied to the prints, and the prints will be fed to the gripping bars 6 in such position transversely of the machine as to be accurately applied on the canvas or other backing. I also prefer to provide the machine with means whereby the canvas or other backing material of greater width than that required for the .prints under treatment in the machine can be fed by the machine, and to provide in such case means for slitting or severing the canvas or other backing longitudinally, the strip severed therefrom, which is intended to be used for the backing of the prints, being carried through the machine in the manner hereinbefore described, and the other longitudinal strip being delivered from the machine and rewound upon another roller, or otherwise disposed of, to avoid the necessity of splitting and rewinding the canvas or other backing material-before placing it in the machine. Thus in the drawings I have shown a rotary cutter 72, adjustably connected to one of thefeed rolls, as the roll 31, carried on a shaft 73 on which it is adjustable transversely of the machine, the shaft 73 being carried by arms 74 on a rock shaft 75 mounted in the main frame, the parts being held in adjusted position by means of a slotted arm 76, secured to the rock shaft and provided with an adjusting screw 77 whereby the rotary cutter 72'can be held in operative or inoperative position, as desired. In such case the piece of canvas severed from the main piece, and which it is not desired to use, indicated at 28, will be drawn rearwardly fromthe roll 31, as in dicated in Fig. 3, and rewound in any desired manner upon a mandrel supported on the machine, and driven from a moving part, or otherwise, as may be most convenient.

80 represents a horizontal delivering conveyer or belt, located below the lower portion of the feed chains 5, and extending from a point adjacent to the embossing rollers to the forward end of the machine, for delivering the finished mounted and embossed prints, or other articles. This belt passes over a driving roller 81, a stretching roller 82, and suitable intermediate supporting rollers 83, and as the finished, mounted, and embossed-prints leave the embossing rollers, they will fall onto the belt 80, slipping off of the pins 7 on the cross bars 6. I prefer to provide a stripper, indicated at 84 Fig. 3, adjacent to the outer chain wheels 9, and provided with wedge shaped blades or portions adapted to pass between the pins 7 of the crossbars 6, to insure the separation of the finished prints from the carrying devices in case they should not fall by gravity, so as to separate from the pins. The conveyer 80 can be operated in any desired way. In the present instance I have shown the shaft 85 of the conveyer roll 81 provided with a ratchet wheel 86 engaged by a pawl 87 on an arm 88 connected by a link 89 with an eccentric 90 on a shaft of the machine, as the shaft of t ie embossing roll 4, for example, for imparting movement to the conveyer 80. The machine can be driven from a motor or other rotary device in any desired way, and in the present instance I have shown a driving shaft 91 provided with a driven pinion 92 engaging a gear wheel 93' on the shaft of the embossing roller 3, whereby motion is imparted to all of the moving parts of the machine, by means of the gearing hereinbefore described.

I will now briefly describe the operation of the machine. The prints to be mounted and embossed are fed on the feeding table 12, singly, to such position that their forward ends will be seized by the pins 7 on the cross bars 6 of the conveying chains 5, thus carrying the print rearwardly, face down, to the upper side of the roller 4;. As the prints pass around the roller 4, the rear face of each is given a coating of adhesive material by the pasting roller 18. The backmg material 28 is drawn from thesupply roller 26, and fed in the manner previously descrlbed, and if the backing material is of greater width than is required for the prints,

the longitudinal splitting device or cutter,

42 is set 111 operative position with respect to the roller 81, so as to split the backing material longitudinally, he unused portion 28 being carried rearwardly and rewound for later use The portion f th Canvas which is to be severed int backing pieces is fed by the various feed rolls, as before described and severed transversely by the action of the cutting rollers 3536, which 0perate in timed relation with the embossing rollers 3-4. The feed rollers are set so as to feed the backing material a distance equal to the length desired for a single backing piece, at each complete revolution of the embossing rollers, so that as each of the prints receives its coating of adhesive and passes around the rear face of the roller 4;, a piece of the backing material is being forwarded to such position that the pins 7 carrying the print, will ngage the forward end of e severed piece of backing material, and draw it away from the feed rolls, and at greater speed than the feed rolls, carrying it with the print between the embossing rollers 3-4, one or both of which is provided "with an embossing die, so located as to per ectly register with the print carried by the pins 7 of the print feeding mechanism. The print will therefore be mounted adhesively upon the backing and simultaneously embossed as the print and backing pass between the rollers 3-4, thus firmly and permanently attaching the orint to the backing, s that it has n tenc enc t separate therefrom when dried. Th moisture present i the adhesive coating also facilitates the embossing of the print and backing and serves to bring ut very perfectly all of th yariations of surface of the embossing die to reproduce brush marks, the canvas grain, and variations of paint levels, for example,

' in the reproduction of oil paintings, or other varlations f surface in the case of other varieties of embossed work. The finished prints are then deposited upon the conveyer 80 and delivered from the machine, mounted and embossed, as before described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for continuously mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with means for feeding the prints through the machine, means for separately feeding backing material, to present a separate piece thereof in registering rel; lon w1th each print, means for applying adhesive located adjacent to the travel of the sheets, nd embossing mechanism for embossing the prints upon said backing pieces. 2. In a machine for continuously mountmg and embossing prints and dislike, the combination with means for feeding the prints through the machine, means for applying adhesive material, means for feeding continuous strip of backing material,

means for severing said backing material transversely, eans for feeding the severed pieces of backing i registration with he p s, o enable them to be united thereto, and embossing mechanism for embossing sald print and backing while moistened with the adhesive material.

3. In a machine for mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with means for feeding the prints, mechanism for applying adhesive to the prints, means for feeding backing material in registration W h said prints and embossing rollers, at st one of which is provided with an embOSS ng die, said feeding mechanisms being constructed to brin the adhesively coated prlnts into contact with th backing material as they pass between said rollers, whereby the said prints will be simultaneously embossed and adhesively secured and embedded in said backing material.

4. In a machine for mounting and emb iIIg prints and the like, the combination with a pair of embossing rolls, at least one of which is provided with an embossing die, of feeding means for carrying the prints between said rollers, means for applying a hesive to said prints, separate feeding means f feeding pieces of backing material to said first mentioned feeding means in registration with said prints, whereby said prints will be gradually embossed and simultaneously united to and embedded in said backing material.

5. In a machine for continuously mounting and embossing prints and the like. the combination with a pair of embossing rolls, at least one of which is provided with an embossing die, of means for feeding the prints to said rolls, a pasting roll adjacent to the travel of the prints for applying adhesive thereto, means for feeding a continuous strip of backing material, means for severing said backing material transversely, means for feeding the severed pieces of backing material to said rolls, and means for varying the speed of the feeding means for the backing material, to accommodate prints of varying lengths.

6. In a machine for continuously mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with a pair of embossing rolls, at least one of which is provided with an embossing die, of means for feeding the bossing rolls, and constructed to permit of the independent movement of the backing material by the feeding means, means for feeding the severed pieces of backing material to said embossing rolls, constructed to permit the backing material to be withdrawn therefrom, means for driving said feeding means for the backing'strip at slower speed than the surface speed of said rolls, and means for varying the speed of the feeding means for the backing material.

7. In a machine for with an embossing die, feeding means for feeding the prints in registration with the embossing die, means for applying adhesive to said prints, means for feeding a strip of backing material, cutting devices for severing said strip transversely, means for feeding the severed portions of said strip to the said rolls in registration with said prints, and the embossing die, driving means for continuously operating said feeding means for the backing material means at slower speed than the surface speed of said rolls, and means for operating said cutting devices in' timed relation with said rolls.

simultaneously mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with a pair of emboss- 'ing rolls, at least one of which is provided 8. In a machine for simultaneously mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with a pairof embossing rolls, at least one of which is provided with an embossing die, feeding means for feeding the prints in registration with the emboss ing die, means for applying adhesive to said prints, means for feeding a strip of backing material of greater width than that required for the prints being treated, cutting mechanism for severing said strip longitudinally, means for feeding one of the longitudinal strips so formed through the machine to the embossing rolls, in timed relation therewith, and means for severing said strip transversely, to divide it into separate pieces for mounting and embossing the separate prints thereon.

9. In a machine for mounting and embossing prints and the like, the combination with a pair of embossing rolls, at least one of which is provided with an embossing die, of

' an endless conveyer provided with means for engaging said prints singly and carrying them around one of said rolls, and between said rolls, a paste roll for applying adhesive to said prints, separate feeding devices for feeding a continuous strip of backing material,'cutting mechanism for severing the strip transversely, and feeding means for feeding the separate pieces of said strip to said endless 'conveyer in timed relation therewith and with the embossing rolls.

In testimony whereof I 'aflix my signature.

. HENRY P. G. STEEDMAN, 

